Police: Man arrested for severely beating victim in Cal Anderson Park

Share this story

SEATTLE -- A man was arrested Sunday night after beating a man unconscious in Cal Anderson Park then sitting down on a park bench for a beer and cigarette, according to the Seattle Police Department.

According to the police report for the incident, officers were called to the Capitol Hill park shortly after 10:30 p.m. for reports of a robbery. They were flagged down by a witness, who pointed out the victim curled up in the fetal position on the sidewalk.

Officers were unable to wake up the victim, who was gurgling, bleeding heavily and had foam and vomit coming from his mouth. He would later be diagnosed with severe facial injuries, including a possibly broken eye socket, and likely internal injuries.

The witness told officers the suspect was smoking a cigarette in the park nearby and pointed the way.

According to the report, officers stopped the suspect as he was about the leave the park, and the witness identified him as the person they saw attacking the victim.

The suspect told officers the victim started the fight by cursing him out, calling him names and punching him in the chest, according to the report. He said he only attacked the victim in retaliation.

According to the report, officers found the victim's wallet on the suspect. The suspect said he took the wallet because he won the fight and "that's the game." He was reportedly apologetic, admitting he shouldn't have taken the wallet.

Multiple people witnessed the attack or its immediate aftermath, including one witness who saw the suspect kicking the victim while he was on the ground and another who saw the suspect smoking a cigarette and drinking a beer on a park bench immediately afterward, according to the report.

The suspect was arrested and booked into King County Jail for investigation of robbery.

The victim was taken to Harborview Medical Center, where he was still not conscious when officers returned his wallet.

Most Popular

When I saw this dramatic cloud to the north, it reminded me of smoke, rising in billows until it hits the jet stream, then it's pulled hundreds of miles east. I had to capture it quickly. Within minutes the effect had faded.

For my girlfriends birthday we had a party at her parents. We knew the nest was there but the owner hadn't seen or heard the osprey for a day or two. He asked me to fly my drone up and see if any was wrong. I flew up and found that there were two eggs inside.